Into the Heart of Sograt
by Arthur Kou
Summary: In the southern lands of Midgard, two noble lords find themselves warring against each other, caught in an intricate web of deception which has lasted for generations. As one tragedy strikes after another, both men are forced to voyage across a kingdom shrouded by political intrigue and where alliances mean nothing.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Festival of the Sun**

Winds blew across the barren land of the desert of Sograt. Sands gathered in the gust and they swirled in the zephyr, forming a crude humanoid shape, before being deposited near one of the hundreds of dunes that dotted the scorching desert. The pile of sand then opens its mouth and stretches its stubby arms, while blinking its almost hollow eyes sleepily. The Sandman then shambles off to go on with its business in the heaty afternoon.

A tired Chonchon lands upon a cactus to rest its exhausted wings for awhile, but is immediately swatted away by the latter who turns out to be a Muka, a cactus-like creature native to the Sograt Desert, who had often cause unwary travelers to get a swell or two by shooting poisonous needles at them when they tried to cut it in hope of obtaining water in the enervating and moisture-free surrounding.

A legion of Andres marches back to their nest, carrying above their heads what they had scavenged for that day. A Desert Wolf gives them a passing look before continuing to feast upon the carcass of a PecoPeco. Life goes on as usual in the Sograt Desert as what it had been since its establishment five hundred years ago, when, according to the legend, the ferocious battle between the Mage Knight Thanatos and the greater demon, Satan Morroc destroyed the south- eastern part of Rune-Midgard Kingdom, creating a barren stretch of land void of any life from the eastern edge of the Payon Forest to the western border of the Papuchica Forest. Over the years, new species of flora and fauna slowly adapted to the harsh climate, and Sograt is once again full of life, albeit far from what it had been five centuries ago.

This particular day, while is of no difference to the various inhabitants of the desert, holds significant importance to the human race of Sograt. It is the fifteenth day of the tenth month, which is the day for the much-awaited celebration of the Festival of the Sun. The city of Morroc, located in the heart of Sograt, is bustling with people from the whole Rune-Midgard. The sun is right above the heads of the crowd, and the heat and glare is irrefutably intense. Still, the folks of Morroc are dancing wildly under the Sun, circling an altar while holding baskets of various items of offering atop their heads; there are meat, fruits and hides of various creatures. A fire is then lighted upon the altar, and the dancers become even wilder in their movement. Some of them seem to be deep in trance, all the while chanting words of praise to Amon Ra, the God of Sun. The fire blazes a bright blue to the rising voice of the crowd, as if showing its approval.

The dancers then start moving towards the West Gate, in a neat line. The highlight of the Festival is going to be held at the Sphinx, where the tombs of the ancient rulers of Sograt are located. However, traditionally only the people of Morroc, those who worship the God of Sun and the Pharaoh, are allowed entry to the Holy Sphinx on this day. Other participants remained in the city, and dance to the music played by a group of Bards. The song "A Poem of Bragi" drifted through the air from the mandolins of the bards, accompanied by their melodic singing. Amid the crowd, a young High Wizard with flowing, dark spring green hair is twirling around, laughing as she claps and dances to the beat of the music beautifully. Soon she is surrounded by a group of Clowns, and the group grows bigger as more people join in the fun.

The official administrative building of Morroc is located in the middle of the city, although some people may mistake it for a fortress, what with all the majestic-looking towers looming above the ground. At the uppermost floor, a tall, cloaked man is watching the ecstatic crowd below him. There is a slight frown on his face as his eyes follow the green, bobbing head of the young girl. It is a well-known fact among the six main aristocrat families that the particular hair colour is exclusive to the Kou family of Merchants. So what is a girl from the Merchant nobles doing in the City of Thieves, when the two noble families have been sworn enemies for the past seven generations?

Yukari feels a sudden sense of apprehension as she slows down on her dancing. Until a moment ago, everything was fine; now she could not get rid of the nagging feeling of danger, of menace. The unmistakable sense of hostility is coming from somewhere around her; Yukari looks around but could see nothing out of the ordinary. It is past noon now, and getting unbearably hot. Yukari tries to convince herself that she must be tired, and that she should start on her way back to Alberta already. After all, it is not safe for someone like her to be overstaying in Morroc, a city notorious for its thieves, pickpockets, thugs, cutpurses and vagabonds, who lie in wait for unwary victims in every corner of alleys and backstreets. While they won't kill without the permission from their lord, they may very well leave you with a lump at the back of your head for a day or two and zennyless. Yukari glances at the grand building in front of her one last time, at its impressive towers.

A pair of golden eyes stares back at her. They are so intense, so hauntingly beautiful that Yukari feels as if she is being absorbed into the depths of an abyss. Legend says that the eyes of an assassin can spellbind anyone who is caught unaware; it seems that there may be some truth in it, after all. Yukari feels her knees weaken; she turns around and walks away, afraid of looking back.

It was the first encounter between them, an occasion that would forever change their lives and that of people around them, for many years to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Lord of Alberta**

Edward Kou sighs exhilaratingly as he steps in to Alberta, after a very tiring two-week trading expedition to Comodo. It had taken three days longer than his schedule, and there is a lot to be done now to make up for the lost time. For a starter, the vessel from Aldebaran has docked at the Main Port yesterday, and it is his job as the Head of Merchants to see to the unloading of the cargoes of gold and precious stones recently excavated from the Mjolnir Dead Pit. While normal cargoes of food, cloths, weapons and other daily household items can be loaded and unloaded by the usual crew and apprentice seamen, gold is considered a precious commodity and its handling in quantities larger than twenty crates must be overseen by the particular city's Representative of Merchant Association, with the exception of Alberta where the Head of Merchants resides. The Kou family has been in control of all the important trades both by land and sea for the past seven generations; they have the exclusive rights to the major trading routes from the North extending all the way to the South-eastern part of the land. Well, everywhere except for Sograt, that is! Edward gritted his teeth as the unpleasant image of a particular man comes to his mind; that of Lord Jin, the Commander of Thieves, the liege Lord of Sograt and its lands. In the eyes of a merchant, nothing good ever comes out of the scheming, dishonourable thieves!

"So what's for dinner today?" Edward turns and smiles at one of his most important friends and team members, Ishikawa Ryo. A renowned Royal Guard at the age of twenty-seven, Ryo is one of the best defensive swordsmen in the land, and has proven himself to be a great asset to the team in many dire situations. Looking at his hefty, muscular build, few people would have thought that Ryo's favourite pastime is actually devising new recipes for meat! Nor would they know that at this particular instant, the images of roasted lamb and grilled bird steak in spiced gravy are floating through his mind….."Turkey with lots of ale, I suppose" he says indecisively.

Both of them hurried through the overcrowded streets of Alberta, going towards southwest in the direction of Manor Alberta. The city is particularly packed on Saturdays when the weekly bazaar is held; in every street there are merchants hollering at the top of their voices, selling anything from armour to jewelleries to fruits and even rare, exquisite silk from Morroc. The merchants greet Edward enthusiastically when they see him; on the other hand Ryo is having a hard time refusing the various items pressed to him by little boys with trays hung from their shoulders. Sometimes it is disheartening to see boys as young as four or five selling cheap plastic combs and near-rusty razors for a few zeny each, hoping to bring home just enough to feed their hungry families. Those are the families which have lost their men at sea; a trader's job is not without its perils, after all.

Finally they reached the Manor; as soon as they go through the Main Entrance servants appear to greet them. The main gong goes off three times to announce the return of Lord Kou and Mister Ishikawa; more maids, butlers, men-at-arms and stable boys emerge. Home at last! Edward heads straight to the South Wing where the Main Hall is located; there is someone he has been longing to see for the past two weeks.

As soon as he steps in the Main Hall, a girl of about eighteen in age and with green hair not unlike Edward's lets off a screech and dashes down the winding stairways. Halfway through her right foot gets caught in the hem of her skirt, and she down she comes tumbling. Edward opens up his arms to catch his sister; as soon as he has her in his arms Yukari starts to hug and cling to him. Aunt Laura, the governess of the house, stands by the grand clock in the far corner looking thoroughly disapproving of the scene in front of her. "Lady Yukari, behave yourself, please!" she scolds in a rather motherly manner, and shakes her head. The girl in question laughs gleefully as she slides to the floor. "I'm sorry, Aunt Laura. I just miss Brother so much!" Aunt Laura sighs; "At this rate, we will never be able to marry you off to a good family".

At breakfast the next morning, five people are sitting at the table enjoying a very good meal of pork sausages in sour cream, and mushroom soup to go with it. Xerxes Carmichael is one of them, smiling as he listens to their little talk of the events that took place over the past two weeks; he is content with the peaceful scene in the Manor. For some reasons, he has been feeling ill-at-ease for a few days now; but as a Shadow Chaser trained to be both cold and emotionless, he has no belief in unfounded things such as premonition or intuition, or the sixth sense. As they are finishing their meal with coffee, Mr. Kang, Edward's right-hand man in the Manor approaches them and whispers a few quick words to Edward. Edward's expression changes noticeably, and he motions to Ryo and Rhys McQuillen, a Ranger and also the last member in their team, to follow him. Yukari attempts to tag along too, but is restricted by Xerxes. "No, let them be", he says.

The party of three enters a small sitting-room. "We have some trouble here", Edward begins grimly. "The inspection team found traces of raw Izidor in some crates from the land consignment coming in from Morroc last night. The contract is apparently for the sale of rare herbs, and authorized by the royal seal of Lord Jin himself". Ryo and Rhys look at each other anxiously. Izidor plant either in its raw or processed form is absolutely outlawed in the lands of Midgard. Two hundred years prior, Izidor powder was used extensively by medical practitioners and witch-doctors as a 'magic' strength-enhancer; however its effects on individuals and society was devastating to the point that almost a quarter of the people of Midgard were addicted to it. To counter the crisis, King Tristan I banned the planting and cultivation, possession, use, and distribution of Izidor and its products totally; those who are caught with it will be subjected to execution by either hanging or guillotine, never to be pardoned.

As the Head of Merchants and the Lord of Alberta, Edward has the absolute authority to confiscate the goods and imprison the individuals associated with them, until the Royal Court of Order hears the case and decides on a date for execution. However, the present problem is not as easy as it seems. Lord Jin Shou is an Aristocrat who upholds the sovereignty of Sograt; in the lands of South his influence is immense to the point that the current Ruler of Midgard, His Majesty King Tristan III has to withdraw all his armed forces from Sograt. Should Jin decide to rebel and launch a coup d'état, the whole Midgard will be in chaos. Therefore to go against him directly will upset the delicate balance of power in the South, very possibly with catastrophic consequences. However, Edward cannot possibly ignore the condemning evidence at hand now; plus he has to admit that he is one of the many people who wanted Jin dead.

Xerxes enters the sitting-room quietly from a side door. "So aren't you going to issue an order to detain his people now?" he asks. All three of them turn to see Xerxes, calm as always with the ever-smiling face that hides his emotions. It is no secret that the Shadow Chaser has always been the one with the deepest hatred for Jin; ever since Xerxes was exiled from Morroc on pain of death for a crime he did not commit, he has sworn to take Jin's life one day. His blinded right eye, together with the hideous scar below it may be appropriately covered by an eye-patch, but to Xerxes it is a constant reminder of the grudge he holds against Jin.

Edward purses his lips; once he makes a decision there will be no turning back. The Merchants and the Thieves have always been at odds with each other ever since the days of their founders; plus what he is going to do now is perfectly in accordance with the laws of Midgard. There is a hint of cruelty now in his smirk as he calls out to Mr. Kang and gives his orders.

"Arrest all the Thieves who came in with the cargoes; they are to be handed to the Court for execution tomorrow evening".

Behind the door left ajar, Yukari tries to hide her disbelief and vexation at the recent turn of events. Eavesdropping has never been one of her favourite habits, but everything seems to be going wrong for them this week! Yukari makes an effort to keep frustration off her face as she heads to the main quarters in another wing. Gone are their old peaceful days in Alberta; she instinctively knows there is no way the Lord of Sograt would withstand this disgrace inflicted upon his vassals. The memory of the man with golden eyes and jet-black hair haunts her in her dreams every night, and her heart beats faster with the thought of it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter ****3****: A Dark Meeting**

The Sun slowly sinks behind the hills to the West as dusk sets in. Owls, wolves, and other nocturnal creatures emerge from their homes, eager to start the night's hunt. Crickets and other insects chirp and buzz loudly in the cool night air. Everything seemed perfectly fine, just like any other night in Midgard, with nothing out of the blue going on. The moonlight shines brightly, casting an enchanting glow upon the land, lighting the whole landscape and creating dancing shadows in the forest glades.

In a small clearing and the area surrounding it in the forest south of Geffen, The City of Magic, though, things are different. The familiar singing of insects and cries of birds that wake up to search for food – all are missing. A deep silence settled in that place, and the atmosphere around it seems to be clouded with a dark veil. Every night creature, even the most fierce and vile, shuns that area. There is undoubtedly something _very_ wrong with that particular piece of land. Someone –or _something_ of malign intentions.

A figure wearing a dark cloak stands in the middle of the clearing. The cowl of the long, flowing black cloak is pulled closely about its visage, concealing its identity. A dark aura radiate from him to all directions. The howling of a wolf can be heard far, far away, as if signifying something terrible were to happen.

The steady sound of hooves breaks the silence in the still night air. The sound gets louder –someone is approaching. A rider on a horse bursts into the clearing. He is a bulky, gruff and strong-looking man, with thick moustache and a beard. An ugly scar ran from his left ear across his face to the bottom of the right side of his chin, obviously a battle wound.

The figure in the cloak looked up and greets him in a soft, raspy voice.

"Hello".

The rider grunted in reply, and said in a rough voice, "What task do you have for me this time, and what is the pay?"

"A simple one, it issss," the cloaked figure replied, its voice hissing, "If you succeed, I shall reward you handsomely."

"What is it?" the man on the horse replied, eyes glinting at the mention of a great pay.

"You know the merchant trading vessel, the _Hringhorni,_ and her captain, am I not wr-wrongggg?"

The rider's face changed at the mention of the ship. A look of anger and fury can be seen within his eyes. His hands clenched into fists.

"Yes, I remember him, that bastard," he said angrily, while slowly raising a hand to touch his scar, "gave me something that I could never forget, he did."

The cloaked figure smiled evilly, although the rider obviously cannot tell that, seeing that the former's face is still concealed in its cowl.

"It is time for your revenge th-thennn," it said, "I want you to assault him."

The rider frowned. "If that works, I would have done it myself ages ago," he scowled. "That bastard's fleet can't be defeated by such a small group as mine." "Not to mention," he continued, "him and his gang are all acclaimed fighters. One or two wouldn't be a problem for me," he boasted, "but four would be too much."

"Worry not about that," the cloaked figure replied "you will have my full assistance in this mission."

"In the form of?"

"This," the cloaked figure took out a scroll.

The rider took it and examined the object curiously. "What is this, and how could it help me against the dastardly Kou and his group?"

The figure smiled again.

"Open it up."

The bearded man did as he was told. In the scroll was a mass of cryptic runes, none of someone as illiterate as him can understand. "What is this?" he asks in anger, "I have no time for these toys of you spell-casters!"

"Calm down," the figure said, before continuing in a tone much darker than before, "it is a spell of necromancy."

The burly man gave a gasp of shock. "W-w-what!" he shrieked in a mix of wrath and terror, "We can't use that!"

Necromancy is well known to all as an illegal act in the world of Midgard, punishable by death. The King himself had given orders to arrest whoever that indulge in these dark arts, or be associated to them in any manner, and they shall be burned at the stake as a hard warning to those who may be thinking of using the art for their own benefits. The Pronterean Church would be more than glad to conduct these punishments upon those who would indulge in such a heresy and blasphemy against the gods, as all had been described within the ancient pages of the Tome Of Asgard, granted by Odin himself to father Benedict I, the first Pope of the Pronterean Church.

"W-worryyy not" the figure hissed, "the King would not find out"

"And how do you know of that?"

"That's not a concern of yoursssss," the figure paused; "so, would you accept this task?"

The man on the horse lapsed into silence for a short time. At length he spoke; "what was the pay again?" he asked with a clear hint.

The figure tossed a bulging leather sack onto the ground. It lands with a soft thud. The man instantly picked it up and opened it greedily, grinning at its weight. His eyes lighted with undeniable delight at the contents of the sack.

It was full of gold in its bullion form, worth a hundred thousand zeny each. And there are easily more than forty bars of this precious metal inside the sack.

"More will be given if you succeed," the cloaked figure continued, "See you in two night's t-timeeee." It turns and walks toward the bushes that ring the clearing, and was gone.

The melancholic hoot of a barn owl can be heard far, far away.

It is on the last day of the tenth month on the calendar when Lord Edward Kou receives an official parchment from the Governor of Izlude, the Honourable Sir Bourgeois-Martineau. Edward frowns at the contents; it seems that there have been some disturbances at the warehouses located at the West of the city, where all the valuable ores for refining the highest grade of weapons are kept. Not only that, three of the merchants' freighters at the berth has been set on fire yesterday night. Although a few suspects have been apprehended, the Governor requests the presence of Lord Edward himself at Izlude before the next course of actions is decided.

Edward ponders on the problem at hand for a moment; once decided he wastes no time in assembling the crews for his journey. By evening they have one of the swiftest clippers in Midgard, the majestic _Hringhorni_ ready with all her seamen. Edward foresees no trouble in their journey before their scheduled arrival in Izlude, thus he decides that there is no need for a heavy, full-fledged galley since the winds are not favourable for a trip up north at this time of the year.

They set sail on the very same day, after supper. The port is usually quiet at night, when most of the cargo and passenger vessels are berthed and the seamen are resting in their quarters. However, on this particular night there are signs of activity on the main port; there are no less than five Deck Officers scurrying around, overseeing the undocking of the _Hringhorni_. The Boatswain is busy checking the hull, rigging, and the sails on the clipper, making sure that all preparations are complete. A journey in the middle of the night is usually more risky; limited visibility often makes navigation difficult. However, a Captain as experienced as Edward will be able to handle all situations easily with adequate preparations.

Yukari stares forlornly at the _Hringhorni_ as she slowly pulls out from its berth, making way out to the open sea. It has been hardly a fortnight since Edward came home, and now he will be off to another dangerous mission in Izlude, together with Rhys and Ryo. Yukari sighs as she recalls the countless nightmares she has had in the past few days. Too many misfortunes have happened this week- _there must be something, or someone, behind all this_.

Xerxes comes up behind Yukari. "Missing them already, aren't you?" he smirks.

Yukari leans her head on the shoulder that is offered to her. "Brother Xes. I have a very uneasy feeling about all this. You can feel it too, don't you? The air of malice around us."

Xerxes makes a wry face. "You know, sometimes you should stop worrying about all this. In this line of business there will always be enemies around you."

The image of a particular man comes to Yukari's mind. _To be thinking so often about a man I have met only once before- I must be crazy_. Yukari shivers as she recalls the deep, haunting golden eyes she saw only once before. _Why can't I forget him?_

Xerxes wraps his cloak around her. Both of them walk back in silence towards Manor Alberta, very much unaware of the calamity that is about to befall the city soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Trouble at Sea**

**Author's note: **Due to the many events taking place simultaneously in Chapters 3 to 5, it becomes necessary for me to explain what is going on here. In Chapter 3, Edward Kou receives a letter, allegedly from the Governor of Izlude, and sets sail immediately. In Chapter 4 which takes place on the first day of the eleventh month, Edward and his men are assaulted on their way to Izlude. In the upcoming Chapter 5, Manor Alberta is invaded on the very same day as the happenings in this chapter (Chapter 4). Who is behind all these attacks? What grudge do the Merchant class and the Thief class hold against each other? Happy reading! ^_^

The _Hringhorni_ glides over the waves effortlessly; she has been going close-hauled at almost twenty knots for the past ten hours. Her captain, the Lord of Alberta, Edward Kou, stands at the deck occasionally shouting instructions to the helmsman. The weather has been reasonably favourable for their journey; with only about thirty nautical miles left to the nearest port in Izlude they are expected to arrive in not more than two hours. Of course, they would have to slow down considerably as the clipper approaches the port, but the journey so far has been smooth- _almost too smooth_, in fact. In a way, it feels exactly like the calm before a storm.

Edward checks the compass on the binnacle again. Yes, they are going the right way- it would not be long before they are able to sight Port Izlude on the horizon. They have been sailing non-stop for the past twenty hours since their departure from Alberta; the severity of the situation does not allow any loss in time. Edward lets his mind wander to the problem at hand. To be able to sabotage the merchants' fleet in Izlude means there must be an insider working for the enemy, but who could it be? And who is the "enemy" behind all this? The Thief class? No, not even those sneaky, loathsome Thieves would dare to do something on such a large scale- _unless if they had specific orders from their Lord_. Edward clenches his fists. He would have to investigate thoroughly before pointing fingers at anyone; the Lord of Sograt is not someone to mess with unless you have undeniable evidence against him.

The crew on the lookout atop the crow's nest shouts suddenly. "Frigate approaching from two o'clock! Estimated one thousand three hundred yards from us, and gaining fast!"

Edward snaps out of his thoughts, and turns sharply to that particular direction. He almost could not believe it; how can a frigate, or anything for that matter, sail at that speed _on a course directly in the no-go zone_?

"Friends or foes?" he shouts back.

The seaman focuses his sight on the house flag on the mainmast.

"Good Lord", he gasps. "It's a pirate's frigate!"

"All crew aboard, prepare for defence!" Edward is instantly on the move. The _Hringhorni_, being a clipper for trade, was built solely for speed and is thus minimally equipped for offence. This is certainly a situation disadvantageous to them; with minimal artillery and only two experienced gunners on board, a battle would almost certainly result in a loss, and bloodshed.

"Signal the Harbour Master in Izlude, now!"

Edward squints and tries to get a look at the galley at hand. He can hardly make anything out; the night is pitch-black, with no stars and minimal illumination from the moon. However, his seaman's instincts tell him that the ship is huge. He shivers a little; but he also notices something-_something's definitely wrong_. The ship in question sways wildly from left to right and right to left, as if it is not steered.

Ryo appears beside him. He observes the vessel too, and despite not being a member of the merchant family, is instantly able to tell that there is something very wrong with the galley approaching them.

He looked at Edward. The latter's face bares an expression of dread.

"Edward?"

The crew on _Hringhorni_ brings out what little weapons they had with them, and loads the swivel guns placed on the starboard of the clipper. All the navigation lights are turned off, and the crew prepare themselves for the worst-case scenario.

The ship is very close now, not more than five hundred yards away, and its shape can be seen clearly. Edward stares in utter disbelief. The crew, who are busy preparing the cannons, raises their heads to the looming shadow. And despite the darkness, everyone on board the _Hringhorni_ is able to see the reason why their usually calm-under-whatever captain had looked so baffled.

The frigate, or perhaps the former frigate, looms over the delicate _Hringhorni_. The ship is a wreck, holes decorated the exterior of it, and some of the masts have long fallen. The sails are torn, and all over the vessel wet clumps of moss can be seen hanging. The galley glistens in the dim moonlight.

"It...it can't be..." Edward's face is as pale as a sheet.

Rhys McQuillen, who had just come up beside them, stares at the ship.

"It is a sunken ship," he says, "raised from the depths by powerful magic."

"It is not _a_ sunken ship," Edward says, a hint of dread clear in his voice "It is _the_ sunken ship."

A soft laughter can be heard above the sound of the waves. Edward thought that he heard that voice somewhere before, but he couldn't put his finger to it at the moment, where the threat of a large battle looms before him.

All of a sudden, metallic clinks can be heard as grappling hooks are thrown from the other vessel. They latch to the _Hringhorni_ and the occupants of the ship start sliding from the taut ropes to the delicate clipper. They drop to the floor noisily.

"Pirate Skeletons!" Ryo hollers, "Prepare for battle, my brothers!"

The Royal Guard runs forward and takes a stance. The Pirate Skeletons unsheath their rusty cutlasses and lunge at him.

"Auto Guard!" he yells as he raises his Shield. Some of the skeletons are instantly repelled. Raising his Sabre high above his head, he swings it wildly and shatters four skeletons at once.

The number of Pirate Skeletons keeps increasing. More and more come up from the sunken ship. The fifteen men that Edward brought with him draw their cutlasses and charge at the skeletons. Edward leaps at the rank of undead and swings his Two-handed Axe around. The skeletons shatter and drop around him in piles of bones.

Rhys McQuillen climbs atop the main mast with cat-like agility. He perches atop the crow's nest and looks onto the pirate galley with his eagle eyes. He can see a man atop its bow, wearing a dark robe and a Goblin's Mask. He deduces that this must be the leader of this vessel; but why is he doing this? Why raise the sunken ship of Schewspade back to the surface? And certainly, he must have very strong magical abilities, as raising such a legendary ship from the depths of the ocean is no task for mere mortals. He reaches into his quiver and withdraws two silver arrows. Fitting them into the string of his ornate Gakkung, he aims them directly to the chest of the robed man. "Double Strafe," he whispers, and releases the bowstring. The arrows fly with unmatched dexterity towards the target.

The battle is becoming more and more intense. Dozens of Pirate Skeletons' remains lay on the deck. Three of the men are dead. Edward fights valiantly, backing against the main mast so that there is no chance for an attack from behind. Ryo is not too far away from him, chanting a Heal spell to another compatriot while using Shield Charge to repel the onslaught of the skeletons.

Edward doesn't want to damage his precious clipper, but as two dozens of Pirate Skeletons corner him, he has no choice.

"Hammer Fall!" he bellows, while raising his axe above his head and jumping three feet into the air. With all his might, he brings the heavy weapon down onto the wooden deck of the _Hringhorni_. A loud sound of splitting timber can be heard, even above the noise of the heated battle. The skeletons explode and fragments of bone fly in every possible direction.

The silver arrows fly straight towards the chest of the robed figure. But just as it is about to hit, a sabre swings out of nowhere and repels the arrows. McQuillen raises his eyebrows in surprise, although he is not actually perplexed to see it happen. No way can a man of that power be assassinated so easily. The arrows were more of a test than anything.

The mysterious wielder of the sabre steps into view. McQuillen's eyes narrowed. It is a figure clothed fully in a captain's uniform, though the uniform is totally tattered all over. It is smoking a pipe, and a crow squats on its shoulder, cawing loudly. But what surprised the resilient Ranger the most is the figure's face. It is a skull, covered with decayed and putrid flesh. Its eye sockets glow a bright red.

"The Drake..." McQuillen whispers slowly.

The Drake leaps onto the _Hringhorni_. Brandishing its sabre, it strides straight towards Edward Kou. The captain fails to notice this as he crushes a Pirate Skeleton who had just ran its sword through another crewman. Five now lay dead on the deck, their crimson blood decorating the _Hringhorni_ under the dull moonlight.

McQuillen releases another silver arrow. It would have hit this time, but the squawk of the crow alerts the Drake who spins to evade the arrow just in time. The arrow embeds itself deep onto a mast.

The distraction has been enough for Edward to notice the malice that is about to slay him. He takes a stance and prepares to defend himself against the terror of the tides.

The two of them rush forward. Their weapons meet and produce a spark. Edward spins around and delivers a kick to the back of The Drake. It hits, and the undead creature momentarily loses its balance. McQuillen wasted no time and fires another silver arrow towards it.

The Drake took the arrow to its knee. It roars with agony. Edward takes the opportunity to spring at the creature. Unfortunately, the crow flies up and scratches at him, forcing him to back off. The Drake regained its composure and stares at Edward with its glowing red eyes.

The reinforcements from Izlude had set off immediately upon seeing the flare that one of the crew aboard the _Hringhorni_ had released. The warship now looks upon a shivering sight. The delicate clipper is rocking wildly, and a pirate's frigate is located beside it.

"Hurry!" the captain shouted to the crew.

Edward reels back and leans upon the side of his clipper, clutching a wound at his side where the phantom's sabre had nicked him. The Drake continues to advance upon him, without a hint of sympathy. It raises the sabre high upon its head. The weary Edward can do nothing to stop it as it came down. The last sight he saw was the crow flying in the across the moon.

Then he blacks out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The beginning of everything.**

It is the first night of the eleventh month of the year; a particularly chilly night with no moon. An eerie silence seems to envelop Manor Alberta. Lord Edward Kou had left sailing barely twenty-four hours before, bringing with him fifteen men including two of his best warriors, Ishikawa Ryo and Rhys McQuillen. There is no more than ten men-at-arms left in the Manor now, doing their best to patrol the huge compound.

Almost all the servants are resting in their quarters near the Courtyard, which makes the area near the Main Quarters in the southeast of the Manor unusually quiet. Yukari is left alone in her room; she passes her time by reading the latest volume from the Library. _The Sovereign of Tristan I and Rune-Midgard_ does not sound particularly appealing to the young nowadays, however Yukari finds it entertaining to analyse the various battle strategies described in it. Perhaps she would be able to make something useful out of them in her next quest with Brother Edward and the rest of their group. Their next adventure would bring them to Juno in the Republic of Schwartzvald up North; Yukari personally could not wait to see for herself the magical Ymir crystals in Juno which she has so often heard about from her friends.

While Yukari is still captivated within her fantasies of magical crystals in faraway lands, the sound of an explosion makes her jump out of her bed, literally. She is visibly shaken; what could have caused such an explosion in the middle of the night, in a city as safe as Alberta and in a building as heavily-guarded as the Manor? Surely it must be something from the kitchen, she tries to assure herself. The sound of three short strikes of the gong, plus one long one, tells her otherwise. Three-short-one-long is a warning sign of enemy approaching, or within, the compounds. Manor Alberta has been infiltrated!

Yukari instantly gets up and dresses quickly, wrapping a woollen shawl over her shoulders and nightdress. She reaches for her wand in the drawer next to her bed, but a hand stops her. Yukari gasps and turns to see Xerxes beside her, his face in an unfathomable fury.

"It's those bastards from Sograt. Stay here, and lock up. Don't try anything, and I mean it, Yukari."

"Brother Xes! Where are they? What do they want?"

"Doesn't matter. They must have found out somehow about Edward's absence. We'd get rid of them, so stay away." With that, Xerxes vanishes from sight.

Yukari runs to her window, to see that the area around the Courtyard is on fire. She could feel the intense heat even from this distance. But something is not right; this is no ordinary fire. It spreads too fast, but this should not be the case, since buildings are generally damp at nights towards the end of the year. The spread seems to be too _controlled_ somehow- _as if there is someone manipulating it_. As the realization hits upon her, Yukari feels nothing but fear for Brother Xes- he may be excellent in combat skills, but against magic he is almost completely defenceless.

With that, Yukari grabs the necessary items, and stumbles out of her room. She runs as fast as she could towards the courtyard, making it towards the sea of flames that colours the otherwise pitch dark of the twilight.

Yukari chants the spell for a Storm Gust; thick black smoke envelops the surroundings as the fire is finally put out. In the midst of the commotion, she sees Xerxes falling to the ground, his torso a deep red as blood seeps from a large, ugly wound. Hot tears sting her eyes and face as she runs towards him. Yukari kneels beside Brother Xes.

"Why? Why all this? What do you want from us!"

She turns her face up and screams at the man standing beside them. The mysterious stranger says nothing but pulls the hood back from his face. Yukari tries to stifle her gasp as she stares, for the second time, into the cold, deep golden eyes of a man well-known and feared in the lands of Rune-Midgard.

"You….!"

The man smirks, and stares back at her. Yukari feels herself weakening, as if her very soul is being drawn out into a bottomless pit. Faintly, she hears Brother Xes's voice, begging her to run. But it is all too late now; Yukari feels nothing but relief as she gladly gives in to the weariness, the exhaustion enclosing her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Sograt**

The steady pounding from the hooves of the midnight-black horse creates an amiable swaying motion, as if willing its now barely-conscious rider to remain in her pleasurable slumber. The other rider, clad in a dark long cloak, sits behind the first and is apparently the one controlling the creature's movements. Balios, as the creature is named, speeds forward with great nimbleness towards the southern gate of Morroc.

Jin Shou looks up to the sun, noting its position. It is now the fourth hour since midday; which means that the party had travelled for twelve hours straight. The desert of Sograt is burning with heat, but as members of the Thief class his fellow travellers are used to it. Well, except for one, that is. Jin's eyes move towards the girl slumped in front of him; she has been unconscious for their whole journey now. Watching her, the corners of his mouth twitch, and Jin could not help but smirk at the thought of Kou's expression when he finds out about the recent happenings. Well, taking a hostage was never a part his plan, but it seems that the girl would be valuable, in her own way. The feud between the Jin family and the Kou family has been carried on for generations; perhaps now is the best time to stop these senseless disputes between them once and for all. And it does not help either that the hot-headed Lord of Alberta, Edward Kou refuses to listen to Jin's requests. Well, he would be made to compromise somehow, this time.

Jin must admit that he was more than surprised when he saw the girl, for the second time now, in Manor Alberta last night. So the rumours were right; the Kou family did have another survivor, other than Edward. The mass slaughter of the merchant family fifteen years ago was a major blow to the King's attempt to initiate peace in the southern part of the land back then. The mastermind behind the ghastly incident was never caught, but Jin deduces that the same person must be the one instigating the fights between the two families. There is someone, of considerable influence and position in society, who does not wish for peace between the Thieves and the Merchants. And Edward Kou is just playing right into their hands.

The party of riders speed through the southern gate of Morroc. Once inside, they head towards the western gate, into another field in the direction of the Sphinx. Although the official administrative building stands in the City of Morroc, the residence of the Jin family is actually located on the field to the west of the City. In the main streets of the City, the denizens stand aside and watch in awe as the riders pass by with full momentum. Banners bearing the official insignia of the Jin family, of a roaring lion with majestic golden mane facing a giant, venomous desert scorpion, flutter proudly in the winds.

The group exits the City through the western gate; the Qasr is now in full view. The impressive four-storey high building, which has been the official residence of the Jin family for the past seven generations, now welcomes its Lord back.

2


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Heaven and Hell.**

Yukari feels herself falling headlong deep into a chasm; she flaps her arms frantically, trying to get a hold on any support she could find. Gripping onto a branch-like structure to her right, she is just about to regain her composure when the object in question magically turns into a cold, slimy tentacle, wrapping around her neck and squeezing her out of life. Yukari reacts instinctively, clawing furiously on the object until it loosens its grip on her. With that, once again she tumbles into the dark unknown beneath. The end of the pit is now in sight; red molten lava is splashing violently, eager for its next victim. Yukari sees a human limb in one corner, and chokes on the smell of putrid burning flesh. "I must have died in the siege- and now I'm going straight to Hell."

Just as she is about to hit the bottom, Yukari convulses uncontrollably, and wakes up with an exaggerated start. She gasps for breath desperately, and the nauseating smell seems to be clearing up, replaced by a scent much more pleasant. Yukari closes her eyes and inhales. It's the smell of burning incense, no doubt- but somehow she could not place it. Sandalwood, or valerian roots, maybe? No - something much more exotic in nature.

Yukari snaps out of her trance. Looking around her, everything seems highly unfamiliar, yet so ordinary. She is in a large room, with windows on two sides. The frames enclosing the windows are beautifully crafted; floral motives are interposed with circular geometric patterns of varying shapes. The walls and floor are made entirely of white marble, polished so well that you can almost see your reflections on them. Yukari is half-sitting on a bed in the middle of the room; the bed too is large and exceedingly comfortable. White linen is spread around her, and the pillowcases are made of pure Morroccan silk. There is a large ornate mahogany table to her left, where the incense is burning in a decorative jade urn. There is also a small dish of fresh olives on the table.

Yukari tries to comprehend the situation she is in. She is convinced that somehow she has made it to the Heaven; everything seems so beautifully exotic here. Yukari stands up and tries to walk to a window, wobbling a little in the process. About five feet from her objective, Yukari feels herself held back by an arm. Gasping, she turns around to see a young female clad in black; a Shadow Chaser. Gently, Yukari is led back to the bed, and ordered to sit. The Shadow Chaser may not be using any force on her, but her voice speaks of clear authority. It becomes apparent to Yukari then that she has been captured by the Thieves; this place is probably their base in Morroc city. At least she is not being treated badly, for now. Edward had warned her before about the ill-famed Thieves and their atrocious amusement at tormenting people. Images of the Thieves' torture chambers and gallows fill her mind for a fraction of a second, and Yukari shudders with the thought of them. She had also heard that their Lord is exceptionally fond of torturing young virgins, in some very scandalous ways. Yukari tries not to think too much of the rumours.

About four or five maids appear from the other end of the room, each carrying a bucketful of water. One of them has a basket filled with colourful wildflowers; Yukari could only recognise the desert poppy and goldfields among them. Another maid appears, this time a young child not more than six or seven years of age; in her hands is a silver tray of bottles of various sizes and shapes made from delicate glass, each emitting a strong fragrance. The ceramic bathtub is prepared, and two of the maids help Yukari to undress. Still bewildered, but incredibly grateful at the prospect of a cooling bath, Yukari blushes as she stands almost naked beside the giant tub. She is then helped into the tub, and the flowers are scattered around her. For the next half-hour or so, Yukari is contented with just staying inside the tub, enjoying the luxurious bath while having her hair cleansed with the most fragrant soap in Rune-Midgard.

Yukari was drying herself with exquisite soft white towels when the door on one end of the room is thrown open and a man in black walks inside. He is exceedingly tall, over six feet and a half in height at the very least, and _very_ well-built. Yukari gasps as she recognises him; nobody can ever forget those eyes. He looks down at her contemptuously, and orders the Shadow Chaser.

"Bring her into the Great Hall once she's done".

"Yes, my Lord".

The man in black casts another look at her, smirks, and leaves the room. Yukari feels her legs shaking uncontrollably, and hates herself for that. No, she cannot afford to be weak in front of the Lord of Sograt. He has a price to pay, for what he did to the Manor and the people of Alberta.

Behind the closed door, Jin Shou sighs to himself. Now he would have to deal with the hostage, and yet he is unable to get the thoughts of her out of his mind. Jin reminds himself that the girl is nothing but a pawn in his game, and that she is still a member of the Merchant family, after all. He smiles as he thinks of the plan he has in mind. Yes, it's outrageous and exceedingly risky, but he will take the gamble on. So long as the girl agrees to cooperate, Jin may just be able to pull this off. With that, he walks in the direction of the Great Hall. Yes- the chess pieces in the Game have started moving the instant he made his mind. There is no going back now.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Game Begins**

Yukari now stands atop the flat roof; the night breeze blows softly, disarranging her hair a little. Yukari shuffles her feet, and looks around her. Sixteen rectangular granites, each the highest quality stone, make up the roof of the Qasr. The four minarets at the corners, which also function as the defence towers, look imposing up close. Feeling a little giddy from the height, she sits and looks up. Thousands of bright, glittering stars dot the sky. "So this is how Sograt looks like at night"- were her thoughts at that time. The view was more than magnificent; she has never seen anything so _magical_- so _unworldly_, before. As if all her thoughts, her worries, are so insignificant compared to what lies before her now. To just sit there and let life takes its own course, to release your inner spirit and just live in the moment. Yukari closes her eyes, sighs once, and opens them again, only to see the formidable pair of golden eyes staring back at her. She screams, but her voice is dissipated through the night air. The man in black smirks. Yukari's heart stops beating for a fraction of a second. Damn, can he stop doing that already? That devilish smile; so attractive, so irresistible, so- _enticing_.

"So Princess, perhaps you should stop screaming or glaring at me that way already each time. You will be staying here for some time, so get used to it already, would you?" Jin sighs exaggeratedly, as if mocking her.

"Then perhaps you should stop popping out of nowhere each time, my Lord" Yukari snaps back. For some reason, she could not get angry at Jin. He may be annoying as hell, but his manner of speaking- somehow it makes Yukari's heart flutter a little, each time. She blushes at the way he addresses her.

Jin scowls. "I am the Lord of this house, so I shall appear wherever I please. And you, girl, should be in bed now. Its twilight already, the time of the day when we Thieves are all over the place. If you hate us that much, you should at least try to avoid us as much as you can. I shall not be held responsible if you get your throat slit by one of them, if you are this careless'.

"And here I thought that the Honourable Lord of Sograt just offered me his protection, barely hours ago, in exchange for my... services. Or does my Lord have a very short memory?"

Jin laughs, his eyes glinting. "You have some nerve to talk to me that way, girl. And here I was, hoping to see the Merchant family's girl cower in fear of my abominable presence. Shall I remind you of how many of your brother's men that I have slaughtered?"

Yukari's heart sinks a little; what he said was true. Even with her undeniable attraction towards the man standing before her now, Yukari needs to constantly remind herself that they are still enemies. The only reason she is allowed the freedom she has now, is purely due to the deal she made with the madman last evening. Yes, madman- that is exactly what the Lord of Sograt is. Mad, to be thinking of such a plan. It had sounded impossible to her at that time, but somehow he managed to convince her to go along with it. Edward would never, _never_ have taken such a risk. But Edward is a prudent merchant, while Jin is a gambler at heart. He takes the most absurd, outrageous risks, and makes the impossibles happen. Yukari can see how Edward is always at odds with this madman. Family feuds apart, both men are such contrasts that it would simply be unthinkable for them to be civil to each other, let alone be friends. Yukari casts her mind back to the events last evening, when she made the deal with Jin.

In the Lord's Great Hall of the Qasr, Yukari steps in through the main door; a heavy, intricately carved block of ebony wood, the most expensive of its kind in Midgard. She feels awkward walking in the white, soft chiffon skirt which extends beyond her feet. The maids who tended to her had insisted on it; it seems that the Lord does not approve of "modern city clothing" in his Qasr. Thinking back, the maids were probably afraid that Yukari's Albertan clothing would offend their Lord. Taking another step in, Yukari feels the rich softness of the thick camel carpet beneath her feet, and treads cautiously inside. Jin is standing by a massive mahogany table; he turns to look at her. "My Lady- please, have a seat by me", Jin had said while bowing exaggeratedly.

Yukari sits, and sees a chess set laid out before her. Its pieces seem to be made of pure glass; light reflects off in every direction, making each piece glint beautifully. Not quite sure what Jin wants from her, Yukari just stares at him. Jin smirks. "A game while we have a nice little friendly chat, my Lady?"

"Friendly chat my ass. Return me immediately to Alberta".

Jin scoffs. "Now that isn't the language that a lady should use. But then again, your brother is a seaman. I think I can understand".

"Insulting a man behind his back seems to be very unbecoming of you, my Lord".

Jin smiles. "You're right, my Lady. I am deeply ashamed. Shall we start the game now?"

"I shall not play any mind games with you, my Lord. You're wasting your time here".

"Then shall we play for something? Let's say... your freedom? But if my Lady loses, she shall have to assist me in something. How does it sound?"

Yukari is aghast. "I'm not going to help you plunder, rape and kill. I shall not help you in anything at all!"

Jin laughs out loud. "My Lady is misunderstanding me here. She seems to think that all Thieves do are killing and making mischief everywhere. No, no. I have more than enough men to assist me to plunder, rape and kill, as you put it. However, I am indeed in need of my Lady's services for something else- something... more honourable. So shall we play?"

Yukari takes a moment to think. "No, tell me what this service is about, first. I shall not enter into a Game without knowing exactly what the stakes are".

Jin nods, as if approving her request. "Very wise, my Lady. Your merchant family has taught you well. Never make a business deal without knowing the exact terms first, eh? But if I tell you now, you would probably get distracted for the rest of the game. I need you to concentrate. What about this- regardless of who wins, I'll tell you everything after the game ends. Then my Lady is free to choose whether she wants to go along with my plan. If you refuse- well, you may stay here until the Merchants come to rescue you. If they can ever come, that is".

Yukari catches on the last sentence quickly. "What... what do you mean by that? Why shouldn't they come? You have done something again, haven't you? You're exactly what my brother said you are- sly, arrogant and thoroughly dishonourable. No, I shall not help you in anything, whatever it is. You might as well end my life here and now, and deliver my head back to Alberta".

Jin sighs heavily. "We're not getting anywhere with this, my Lady. You seem to be convinced that I'm nothing but a murderer. Perhaps that is true. But I did not bring you all the way here just to kill you. Might as well just do it in Alberta last night and save me all this trouble. Now, are we playing or not?"

Yukari must admit that she is just a little curious- no, she is _extremely_ curious to know what the devious Jin is planning. If she goes along with it, will there be a chance for escape? If she could just find a way to get into Morror undetected for a few hours... she might locate the Merchant Association in town and secure help from there.

"Alright, let's do this. If I win, you will release me?"

"If you win three rounds, yes".

"Alright then".

And the Game begins.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: As the Stakes Rise. **

The town of Izlude, also known as the satellite city of Prontera, is a metropolitan area located approximately ten miles to the southeast of the capital. It is a place which, despite its modest number of inhabitants, showcases bustling activities in almost every corner of the town. A destination which connects many of the major travelling routes by sea and air, the city is frequented by people from different parts of the world, even outside the Kingdom of Rune-Midgard. Towards the southern end of the town, lies the airship dock which caters to the international airship route, with destinations at Juno, the capital of the Republic of Schwartzvald and Rachel, the capital of the Arunafeltz States. On the other hand, travel by sea involves two major routes; Izlude-Alberta and Izlude-Byalan Islands.

The Izlude-Alberta route has proven to be particularly important to the Merchants, as it speeds up transportation of goods between the capital and the main port, Alberta. For large cargoes, especially those involving valuable commodities such as gold bullions and precious stones, travel by land is particularly unfavourable as it is slow and prone to attacks by the Thieves and bandits lying in wait in the forests of Payon. It is also more costly to transport goods that way as there is a need to hire experienced carriage handlers and additional guards. On the other hand, transportation by sea is much faster when the winds are favourable; compared to the minimum of two days and a half needed for land transport, only one and a half is needed for transport by the sea. The Merchants are naturally the best sailors, and are trained to fight excellently on ships and boats. On the sea, they are untouchable, and protected from the mischief of the Thieves.

On the fourth day of the eleventh month, the Lord of Alberta, Edward Kou upon waking up, finds himself confined to a bed somewhere in the city of Izlude. Somehow, their party has managed to survive the surprise attack on the sea, two nights ago. The reinforcement sent from Izlude has managed to reach them in time to fend off the assault, but not without some casualties. Altogether six Merchants were found dead, and another three seriously wounded. It is indeed a loss for the Merchants' side. And the worst is still yet to come.

Rhys McQuillen enters the room quietly, and sits on the bedside.

"Morning, Ed. Feeling better now?"

"You know I'm not".

"Okay... take it easy. We received a telegram from the Manor almost as soon as we were brought to land here. Do you want to see it now? I'm afraid it is some bad news".

Without another word, Edward extends a hand and snatches the piece of paper from his aide's hand. Full of apprehension, his eyes scan the document impatiently. The message was from Xerxes Carmichael, who is in charge of the Manor after Edward's departure. It contains only three lines.

THE MANOR INVADED BY JIN ON THE NIGHT OF THE FIRST. TWO DEAD, SEVEN INJURED. YUKARI TAKEN, PURSUIT TO MORROC IN PROGRESS NOW.

Edward feels himself collapsing mentally, feeling nothing but a total sense of agony and defeat. With both their sea and land divisions at Alberta annihilated, it would take a long time before he can re-organise the remaining forces to engage the enemy and restore peace to Alberta. And Jin Shou's hold over Yukari gives him a huge advantage over the Merchants now. Another thought comes to his mind.

"What about the Thieves we captured with the cargo of Izidor?"

Rhys could only tell the truth. "Released by another party of Thieves on that night. Jin's storming of the Manor was only a decoy. Once the City Guards rushed to assistance, another party quietly sneaked into the Main Prison to help in the escape".

Edward groans loudly, covering his eyes in indignity. "I should have seen this coming. It is too much of a coincidence that our fleets here were sabotaged on the very same day that the Thieves were captured. Jin would never have stayed quiet once his people are taken by us. What a total imbecile I had been!"

"This is no time to feel sorry, Ed. We must act fast. Ryo is alright now, so we must return to Alberta as soon as we can".

Edward seems to be lost in thought for a few seconds, with his brows knitted. Coming to a decision, he now speaks calmly, with clear authority.

"No- we cannot possibly go against Jin with our remaining forces now. Deliver this message- Ryo is to seek an audience with the Minister of the Right, Afanasyurin immediately through Joshua Newcastle. Let him know our full situation, and request for military assistance from the Newcastle family. And you, Rhys, will return to Alberta by the first boat today. Take twenty men from the Merchant's Association, and defend the Manor until my return".

Rhys seems to be a little hesitant. "And what are you going to do here, Ed? You're not going to do anything rash aren't you? Dr. Kato insists you rest for at least three more days for a full recovery".

"Pah- we don't have three days to waste, and you damn well know that, Rhys. Don't worry about me- an injury like this is nothing compared to the battle wounds I've had. If anything, I'm thankful to be alive to take Jin's head one day. I can only pray that Xerxes managed to think up a rescue plan of some sort for Yukari. With the few men he had he would never be able to engage Jin directly. And with the irrational, almost maniacal hatred he has for Jin, I'm worried he would lose control, if he had not already".

"You seem to be much more in control of the situation than him, even though Yukari is your family. To be honest, Ryo and I were worried that you would be the one to go berserk, instead".

Edward smirks. "I know Jin well enough to be sure that Yukari would be safe with him, at least for the time being. That man is more calculative than ten Merchants put together. If Yukari's harm brings no benefit to him whatsoever, he wouldn't do it. Most probably, he would barter her for something of value later. But since he has violated the peace treaty between us, I'd like to see what Minister Afanasyurin has to say to this".

"But still, you wouldn't tell me what you're planning to do here?" Rhys insists.

"Well, for a start I need to secure the remaining boats and cargoes that are still intact. Then I'll make sure if Jin has anything to do with the assault on us on the sea. I have a hunch that this is the work of another party. No matter how dishonourable Jin Shou may be, he is not one to use forbidden arts and magic to strike his enemies. And he knows better than to engage us Merchants on the sea. No; most probably he sabotaged our warehouses in Izlude in order to lure me away, but someone else took advantage of that to finish us off".

Rhys looks a little doubtful, but agrees to do as he is told. "Alright, I'll set forth immediately. I shall await your return, so make sure you complete whatever you're going to do here. If what you predicted is true, Yukari should be safe as long as she is smart enough, and as long as we have that something that Jin wanted from us'.

Once again Edward shows a secretive smile, almost like a cat grinning.

"Well... this is getting interesting. For both sides, the stakes are rising".


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Honour among Thieves.**

As the sun sets in the far horizon, darkness begins to creep into every corner of the streets in the city of Morroc. The sound of prayers can be heard distinctively from the houses of worship, and the streets become empty as the roadside stalls are closed, and their owners retire for the day's rest. The main door to a popular saloon bursts open, and a group of about ten men emerges from the building; it is easy to see that they are not natives to the lands of the desert. Judging from their clothing, they are probably passers-by from the northern lands, somewhere near the city of Juno. Obviously drunk, their bodies sway around without direction, and some of the men can be heard laughing rather obnoxiously. One of them smashes a liquor bottle to the ground, and the glass seems to break into a thousand tiny pieces. Another vomits at the side of the street, where an old beggar sits with his coin basket. The poor beggar scurries away hurriedly, letting off a string of curses at them, in the native language of Sograt. Not understanding what is being said, the group of men laughs again at the almost comical expressions the beggar is making. One man, seemingly the leader of the group, seizes the beggar's arms as the latter wails loudly, while his follower empties the contents of the coin basket right into the mound of puke. The old beggar looks horrified, and the leader shoves him almost right into the pile of broken liquor glass. More laughter ensues, and the men then proceed to kick the little beggar mercilessly.

Several shadows then seem to emerge from their places of hiding during the daylight, and the group of outsiders finds themselves dragged into a deserted back alley. They could hardly figure out what is happening to them, before their spines are broken and their necks twisted; their bodies are then left to rot in the quiet place. The assassins then disappear into the walls behind them. As far as the citizens of Morroc are concerned, justice has been served. In this land of the Thieves, no foolishness is tolerated, especially from foreigners. They do not live by the ordinary rules of the "civilised" society, and how you survive depends only on your strength and wit. Only the strong and the smart ones shall live.

It is now dusk in Morroc, the time when the dark beings gather and when every man has to watch his own back. In another street in the southwestern part of the city, a tall man, heavily cloaked and with his face hidden, is walking briskly down the lane. The pair of golden eyes screens the surroundings carefully, noting every movement in the shadows. The man then proceeds to enter a little store, where the sign placed on the window declares it to be the druggist's. He finds himself in a place full of scents emanating from various jars on the cabinets, which are stocked with dried plants and animal parts. There are several little bottles on the shelves, where they contain roots immersed in alcohol; these are usually purchased for the purpose of enhancing a male's virility. There are also several exquisitely carved wooden boxes which hold expensive medicines; they include everything from preserved eggs of rare animals, dried toads and tortoises, centipedes and grasshoppers, and even young snakes.

The mysterious man, obviously a regular patron of the store, instructs the druggist behind the counter to give him the usual. He then sits himself on a stool beside the window, and observes the entrance to the _qahwa_, or teahouse, opposite the store. The druggist seems to be unperturbed by this unusual behaviour, and proceeds to do as he is told. He prepares the powder by grinding several types of seeds with a pestle and mortar, and rolls some leaves to contain the powder. This is further packed into a piece of papyrus before handed to the customer, along with a tiny bottle of oil.

"As usual, my Lord- please use these with caution. You know better than me".

Jin Shou nods at the man, and hands him the payment. "Has the man I am seeking for come today?"

"Yes, my Lord; he was here an hour ago. The mister is waiting for my Lord in the teahouse now".

Jin nods again, and strides out of the store into the one opposite. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees an acquaintance at the furthermost table at the corner. Nonchalantly, Jin walks up to the table and sits, ordering a cup of tea with _ganzabeel_, or ginger. The dirty-looking young waiter shouts the order to the kitchen, and brings a _sheesha_- or water pipe for smoking, for the new customer. The other patron sitting at the table seems to be quite an elderly man, perhaps sixty but no more than seventy in age. He is sitting quietly, content with his own smoke, and seemingly unbothered by the newcomer. Both men sit in silence for a few minutes, until the young server-boy brings the cup of tea. Jin hands him a few copper coins, and he hurries off to take a new order.

Jin places some _ma'assil_- a sticky blend of tobacco leaves, into a small clay bowl, which is in turn placed on the pipe itself. He proceeds to light up the charcoal, and sits back, smoking at leisure. His eyes spot another man sitting five tables away; a man drinking alone with his face partially hidden by his cloak is not an unusual sight in a public teahouse such as this in Morroc. However, Jin recognises him alright; the eye-patch he wears over his right eye makes disguise difficult. Not that he could remove it, even if he wants to. Nearly ten years ago, in an epic battle between Jin himself and Xerxes Carmichael the legendary Shadow Chaser, the latter had his right side of the face horrendously scarred by Jin. Along with it, his right eye became permanently blinded. Carmichael is not a man Jin would expect to see again in Morroc, certainly not when he has a high price put on his head. He must be really desperate to come by himself, without waiting for reinforcements from Edward Kou. And what bothers Jin the most is the fact that Carmichael has somehow managed to find out about his rendezvous in this teahouse today. It is certainly no coincidence that the man is here.

Jin turns towards his acquaintance. It is obvious that he too has noticed Carmichael, but he does not seem to be upset by it in any way. Five tables away is too far for their conversation to be overheard, but still it is of the utmost importance that the second man's identity should not be discovered. Jin exhales, and speaks in a low, but calm voice.

"You have news for me, my friend?"

The man takes a sip of his tea slowly; it is strong and exceedingly sweet, just like how all Moroccan teas are. There is a mild aroma of cheap charcoal in the taste, where it had been used to boil the tea on stove. The man places the metal cup on the table, and carefully wipes his mouth.

"It seems that your friend, the Merchant, is not pleased at all with your actions. He has sent McQuillen back to Alberta to clear up the mess you made of his home. And I just met Ishikawa yesterday. He has requested for a direct audience with His Majesty on tomorrow".

Jin raises his eyebrows a little. "Sent Ishikawa to the King? Is he mad? That man is so clumsy with his words that he would somehow end up embarrassing himself in the Court. Why not send the silver-tongued McQuillen instead?"

"The most logical assumption is that Ishikawa would be able to coax military assistance out of Newcastle. They fought together in battles before, after all".

Jin looks perplexed for a moment, but then lets out a chuckle.

"No, there is no need for McQuillen to go back to Alberta. Kou knows well that I would not try the same trick on them twice, so there is no need for them to defend Alberta now that I'm done with it. McQuillen is probably sent as an ambassador to Payon to butter up the old man Han Jang. My merchant friend must have planned some weird business with the old man".

"You mean he wishes to combine forces with the fighters of Payon against you?"

Jin shrugs, and takes another deep whiff on his pipe. "Whatever he is cooking up, it should need some time to be carried out. Meanwhile I will finish my business quickly and get over with this".

"What about the audience with His Majesty tomorrow?"

Jin seems to be thinking. "The King would want to draw up another peace treaty between us. It's the only way out of this, since he can't afford to mobilise his armies against me, at least not for now. Try to buy me some time; two to three days would be enough".

The old man is quiet for a moment, and then gets up to leave. Jin adds more tobacco to his pipe, and stays for a few more minutes. Finally he leaves too, unhurriedly.

Xerxes waits until Jin has exited the teahouse. Following about fifteen paces behind, he trails Jin along two rows of old, rundown shops, until they come to the end of the quiet street. The only sounds that are audible now are the squeaking of the unusually large rats which run along the roadside ditch. Jin turns into a narrow back alley, and Xerxes observes as Jin enters a dilapidated stone warehouse from the back entrance, admitted by a yellow-skinned, scrawny boy. Xerxes stops and counts to ten, then proceeds to the entrance himself. The boy demands three silver coins from him, which Xerxes duly pays before he is allowed inside, too.

The boy guides him to the top of a narrow staircase leading to the basement, and urges him to go forward. A faint aroma of sweet fragrance greets him, which grows stronger with each step he takes towards the unknown below. For some unexplained reasons, his sense of uneasiness grows. His heartbeat accelerates in expectation of danger, and all his well-trained senses become heightened. Xerxes reaches the end of the stairs, and pushes open a wooden door. It becomes clear to him then what the strange, sweet smell was about. Izidor.

Xerxes finds himself in a smoking den, together with about twelve or thirteen others. Most of them are lying on their side on makeshift beds made of bamboo, reclining in a pose that allows them to place their heads on large, uncomfortable-looking pillows. Xerxes stops momentarily, confounded by the situation before his eyes. None of the smokers seem to be aware of his presence; they are totally in a world of their own. Xerxes watches as one of the smokers places some raw Izidor on a tiny bowl, and attaches it to the stem of a long metal pipe. He then proceeds to flame the pipe-bowl over an oil lamp, and the heat from the lamp vaporises the izidor into thin white fumes. The smoker then eagerly inhales through the mouthpiece of the pipe. He sighs contentedly, and turns his glassy-looking eyes upwards. With trembling hands, he takes another deep puff at his pipe.

Xerxes, who had momentarily forgotten himself and become mesmerised by the scene before him, immediately comes back to reality. He covers his face with his sleeve; he must not inhale the fumes of the poison, no matter what. He keeps walking, intent on finding Jin. But soon Xerxes finds himself becoming lost in the labyrinth of cheap furniture and intoxicated smokers. Some of them are lying on the floor, completely passed out. Unsure if they are still alive, Xerxes is forced to kick them away as he hurries to find the exit. His surroundings are filled with the sickly sweet fragrance, and Xerxes finds himself losing strength with each second he spends in the wretched place. If he doesn't get out of here soon, he would probably never make it out alive again. And Jin is still nowhere to be seen.

It turns out that the man he is seeking for has actually left the room, and is now heading towards the front entrance. Jin could not help but to smirk as he tries to imagine the poor Shadow Chaser in the smoking room. He must be so dumbfounded now, and being his first time here, it would be impossible for him to escape without help from anyone. Jin stops at the front entrance and whispers some instructions to the short, fat Stalker master who runs the place. The latter chuckles and rubs his hands gleefully. Grateful for a chance to serve and please his Lord, he promises to do as he is told. Jin gives him a friendly pat on the shoulder, before stepping out of the door. Taking in a breath of fresh night air, Jin now heads back to the Qasr.

In the smoking room, Xerxes stumbles unsteadily; he feels his legs weaken, and crashes into some unidentified junk. The scent of Izidor is now so overpowering, that all his limbs have become numb. The sweet fragrance has completely filled his mind, tempting and seducing, welcoming him to the land of everlasting dreams. Xerxes lets out a sigh; his eyes roll upwards, and he gives himself in to the devil that embraces him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Twilight of the Gods.**

The Great Prontera Castle, which lies to the northernmost area of the City of Prontera, is an impressive, magnificent structure spanning over twenty acres of land. An almost impenetrable fortress, it is surrounded by great outer walls reaching forty feet in height, and a wide moat which is crossable only when the main drawbridge is lowered. Similar to the Qasr of Sograt, it has four defence towers, one at each corner, each surmounted by great spires. The Castle is built in dark red sandstone and its inner walls are made entirely of white marble of the highest grade, the rarest and most expensive of its kind. All the pillars in the Castle are magnificently carved by the best craftsmen of Midgard, and adorned with gold and silver. Statues made from black basalt, depicting the royalty and great knights of Midgard, stand in almost every corner. It is indeed, a place fit only for a King.

The main path leading to the castle is flanked by the city guards and the royal knights, dressed in their heavy armour and standing upright in attention all day. Nearer towards the Castle, the area is patrolled by the Cavalrymen, usually consisting of the Lord Knights and Paladins who are trusted with the job of defending the Castle's compounds. Inside the castle, directly guarding the wards which house the Royal Apartments and other important chambers are the Rune Knights and Royal Guards who have attained the highest level of skills, who are the best fighters and hold high positions in the Knight's Guild. Standing above them all are the knights from the Newcastle family, who for the past seven generations have been acknowledged as the noblest Swordmen, trusted allies of the King, and the strongest of the strong. Each generation, the most prominent male member of the Newcastle family also serves as the Head of the Knights' Guild and Crusaders' Guild, an exceedingly powerful and desirable position.

On the seventh day of every month, the Ruler of Midgard and Sovereign of the Land of the Gods, King Tristan III, grants an audience to the esteemed Ministers and other royal knights and members of the high society of Midgard. Traditionally held in the Throne Room of the Castle, it is during this time that various subjects pertaining to the interests of Midgard are discussed, and edicts are issued by His Majesty. On this day, the seventh of the eleventh month, Ryo Ishikawa prepares to present himself to His Majesty, having been granted the permission to represent his Lord to make a formal petition against the House of Jin. It is by no means a menial task, and every action and word may affect His Majesty's decision on the current standoff between the two noble Houses. Ryo closes his eyes, and mumbles the script he has memorised from the night before. Silently he curses his Lord, Edward Kou for sending him on this mission instead of Rhys McQuillen, the man born with a silver tongue. Indeed, Ryo cannot see the logic behind this decision of Edward's.

Ryo observes his surroundings anxiously. His eyes come to rest on several officials of high position; among them is the Minister of the Right, Julian Afanasyurin, engaged in a talk with the Minister of Trade who also holds the position of the Governor of Izlude, Sir Bourgeouis-Martineau. From the corner of his eyes, he spots Sir Joshua Newcastle, the young leader of the Royal Calvary and the current head of the Newcastle family, quietly instructing the other Knights. Indeed, it seems that everyone is in a state of high tension today; they are expecting His Majesty to issue a decree which should bring a temporary solution to this predicament. If peace is not restored in the southern lands, misfortunes will befall Midgard soon. An open clash between Lord Edward Kou, who commands the biggest sea force in Midgard, and Lord Jin Shou, the most influential man in the underworld of Midgard, must be avoided at any cost. And standing amongst them today is a man lurking behind the shadows, who would see to it that both Houses are destroyed.

The gong is sounded four times to announce the arrival of His Majesty. Every individual hurries to their respective position, assembling neatly in two lines to either side of the room, facing the centre and bowing their heads respectfully. The Court Officer clears his throat, and announces in a clear, steady voice.

"His Majesty King Tristan III, Ruler of Midgard, Sovereign of the Land of the Gods!"

"His Grace, Duke Boris, Sovereign of the Northern Territories!"

The room falls silent. Ryo could tell that this sudden development is a shock to most, if not all, of them. He steals a glance at Joshua Newcastle, who at this moment is standing on the opposite row. The very slight, but sudden stiffness in his posture suggests that he too, is upset with the unexpected appearance of the Duke. Duke Boris, the second cousin of His Majesty is Midgard's emissary in the Schwarzwald Republic. An exceedingly powerful man, he is feared by many. Ryo's state of anxiety rises up a notch.

The King then proceeds to take his place on the throne, followed by the Duke, seated to his right. Julian Afanasyurin then steps before them, bowing slightly to each in turn.

"Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Grace".

"Good morning, Minister Afanasyurin. You may start with the reports now".

"Yes, Your Majesty. May I present to you Mister Ryo Ishikawa, representative of the House of Kou. Lord Edward Kou himself has personally requested to make a petition on the current conflict caused by a... misunderstanding between him and Emir Jin of Morroc".

Ryo steps towards the centre. He clears his voice quietly, and mentally pushes whatever nervousness he had before, to the back of his mind. It is time for him to get down to business; Edward would never let him hear the end of this if he fails today.

"Your Majesty, Your Grace", he starts. "First, my honourable Lord extends his sincerest gratitude for granting him an audience today. Unfortunately, as he is still recovering from a wound sustained a few days ago, he is unable to present himself today. Lord Kou expresses his regret of not being able to come personally, and hopes that Your Majesty would allow me, Ishikawa to represent him".

King Tristan III gave a look of approval at the young man standing before him.

"It is understandable, Mister Ishikawa. I trust your Lord's injuries are not too grave?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Lord Kou shall recover in a few days' time. Meanwhile, I have come today to humbly request that Your Majesty grant us some... advice on how to deal with our current dilemma with Emir Jin of Morroc".

The King frowns a little. "I have heard the story from Minister Afanasyurin yesterday. You may get straight to the point".

Ryo swallows a little, and recalls what Rhys had prepared for him in the script.

"Your Majesty. For the past seven generations, the House of Kou has always been on amicable terms with the other noble Houses in our land. However, the Jins of Sograt had caused us trouble time and again. Although both Houses have signed a peace treaty during the reign of King Tristan I, and again fifteen years ago, the current Emir has shown little respect for this agreement when he personally led a force of thirty fighters from the Thief class to launch an open attack on Manor Alberta on the night of the first. He has also released a number of his followers who were to be executed for the crime of smuggling raw Izidor into Alberta. Not only that, Lady Yukari, the only family of Lord Edward, has been taken against her will to an undisclosed location in Sograt. Thus, the House of Kou humbly beseech Your Majesty to consider action against Emir Jin, and to see to the safe return of Lady Yukari to Alberta".

The hall falls silent. Ryo could feel his heart pounding so fast, that he might collapse anytime soon.

"It seems to me that Emir Jin has behaved disgracefully this time," the Duke says contemptuously. "To defy the treaty so openly is an insult to our land".

It is at this time when a young knight hurries into the hall. He whispers a few urgent words to Sir Jarrett Newcastle, the Minister of Security and Defence, who also happens to be a member of the sixth generation of the Newcastle family, and hence, an uncle to Joshua Newcastle.

Minister Newcastle faces the King, wearing a very tense and distressed look. "Your Majesty, Your Grace, please excuse my interruption. But this is a very grave matter that should be brought to Your Majesty's attention immediately".

"Speak, Minister Newcastle".

"There was a large quake at the Mjolnir Mountains, near the coal mines, about an hour ago. The earth has cracked, and more than ten mining workers have fallen into the abyss. The rest are under evacuation as we speak. The tremors on the ground have stopped for now, but it seems that the worst has yet to come".

Once again there is a hushed silence, and a deadly look can be seen on each and every face in the hall. An earthquake is seen as an ill omen to the people of Midgard, because it happens only about once a century. It usually results in a massive loss of lives, and brings great catastrophes to the country's society and economy.

Before the King could speak, the great oaken doors of the castle hall burst open, and an old Sorcerer stumbles into the hall. He falls on both his knees before the King, and cries out in anguish.

"Please, Your Majesty, save us! Save our city from the evil beasts!"

The occupants of the hall look totally bewildered at this sudden intrusion. It takes a few seconds for Minister Afanasyurin to recognise the old man.

"Sir Zachariah from the House of Hargreaves of Geffen!" he gasps. The old sorcerer is quickly helped to his feet by two guards, and once again he wails.

"The beasts have attacked Geffen! Please, Your Majesty, send your armies to the city now; the people of Geffen would be dead soon!"

The King speaks in a loud, commanding voice. "Sir Zachariah, please calm yourself, and tell us clearly what is happening. None of us can make heads or tails out of your story now".

The old man stops sobbing. After a short pause, he continued, "Geffen is being attacked by the Orcs now as we speak. There are hundreds... no, thousands of them at the city walls and gates. What little manpower we have left, have been employed to keep the gates closed. Our best wizards have casted powerful spells to keep the Orcs at bay, but we would not be able to hold out much longer. Your Majesty, please send help right away!"

"How absurd! Why would the Orcs attack the city without any reasons? My good man, have you gone mad?" the King says, clearly disturbed by this sudden announcement. The Orcs, though brutal creatures, never attacked men for no good reason.

"It is true, Your Majesty. As preposterous as it sounds, the people of Geffen are indeed under attack by the beasts now. I beg you for help, Your Majesty!"

It has turned into a full-blown commotion in the hall now. It is totally unheard of for monsters to attack the cities, especially Geffen which is heavily defended by forces of magic. Ministers whisper softly among themselves. Even the King seems to be too stunned to speak. However, Ryo is very surprised to see that Duke Boris has remained calm all the time, a secretive smile playing on his lips.

Amidst the chaos in the hall, a deep-throated chuckle can be heard coming from the crowd. An old man emerged; he is so small and frail-looking, that he must be nearing a hundred in age, if not more. Wearing a long white robe, with his flowing beard almost reaching his belly, the man limps painfully on his walking-stick. However, there is a fiery glint in his eyes; those are the eyes of an intelligent man, who sees and understands the world far better than any common man.

"Your Majesty... what have just happened, are signs from the God, from Lord Odin. There is nothing much that we can do about it. We must accept our fate".

The old man coughs badly, but continues with his speech. All attention are turned to him.

"I am referring to nothing else but Ragnarok; or the twilight of the Gods. When the world ends, a new age would dawn, and a second Earth shall rise from the ashes of the old. There are many signs which show that our land is now ready for it. First, the Ship of Death would break loose- that is the very thing that attacked Lord Kou barely three days ago. Secondly, the mountains would tremble- hence the quake in Mjolnir. Thirdly, giants would attack Asgard- or in this case, the city of Geffen. Surely, Your Majesty, these are all the signs of a new age".

The King turns deadly pale at the words of the wise old man. "Surely all these may just be a series of coincidences?"

The old man shakes his head regretfully. "No, Your Majesty, I am afraid they are not mere coincidences. There will be other signs after this. Fourth, the Fire-God, Loki and the wolf Fenrir would free themselves. Fifth, the Midgard serpent shall rise above the seas. Sixth, a last great battle would be fought between the Gods, and those who oppose them. When that happens, all would perish alike, and the world shall be swallowed by fire".

Ryo feels a chill down his spine as he listens to the old man's words. Before anyone could speak out, a man steps out from the shadows; it is the Minister of the Left, Patrick de Jongh.

"Your Majesty. These happenings may well be signs from the Gods, whose wrath have been incurred by the constant bickering between the two Houses. It is time we bring an end to this. Both Lord Kou and Emir Jin have violated the peace in our land, and thus should be brought to judgement accordingly. Only by this way, we can prevent the land from falling into infinite devastation".

Ryo could not believe what he is hearing. To suggest such treatment against the two most powerful Lords in the land is an exceedingly outrageous thing to do, even if the suggestion comes from one of the most important Ministers of Midgard. "Your Majesty", Ryo begins to stammer. "I beg your pardon, whatever reason there is behind these happenings, the House of Kou has done nothing to cause it. We are just ..."

Minister Afanasyurin interrupts hurriedly. "Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider. To take such drastic action against either of the Lords... the consequences are unthinkable".

"Quiet now!" the King snaps. "Sir Joshua Newcastle, you are to take three hundred knights to Geffen immediately, and deal with the disturbances there. As for both the Houses of Kou and Jin, I had had enough of them. Keeper of the Seal, draw up a decree. Both Lord Edward Kou and Emir Jin Shou are required to be present in the Court three days from now, without fail. Minister de Jongh, you will be in charge of this. See to it that both families do not cause further trouble, until they are dealt with accordingly".

Amidst the chaos, Ryo could not help but to notice the look of satisfaction on Minister de Jongh.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: The King's Gambit (Part 1).**

In the Great Hall of the Qasr, Yukari finds herself seated on a very large and exceedingly comfortable cushion; its cover made from rich red velvet, with beautiful crystal-like beads hanging from the fringes at the sides. Yukari's large, amethyst-coloured eyes light up with delight in a child-like way as she runs her delicate fingers across the cushion, revelling in the soft and luxurious feeling of the fabric. It is indeed, among the finest material that she has seen, rare even in Alberta, the biggest trading centre in Midgard and with more cloth merchants than all the other cities in the country put together. What a pity it is to use such an exquisite fabric for a sitting cushion, instead of turning it into magnificent, stunning evening gowns!

"Shall we begin now, or are you going to spend the rest of the evening fondling everything in this room?"

Yukari flushes with embarrassment, and focuses her attention on the man sitting across the white marble table between them. Lord Jin Shou, the Lord of Sograt, the Emir of Morroc, and the Commander of Thieves. It matters not what others call him; the man himself commands such fear and awe from the people around him, that titles do not do him much justice. Yukari marvels at how she can sit and chat so casually with this man, who is supposed to be the mortal enemy of the Kou family, and of all Merchants in the land. She has heard countless stories about the cruelty and violence of the Jins; so many that Yukari had subconsciously learnt to fear this man even before their first meeting.

Jin starts to arrange the pieces on the chessboard methodically, his face betraying no emotion. A classical game with the usual rules and pieces, but Yukari is playing against a very remarkable opponent today. She has learnt to play from a very young age; her late father and teacher had insisted on it. But as confident as she is, Yukari feels uneasy at the possible traps that Jin might have prepared.

As if his eccentric golden eyes can read minds, Jin says... "Worry not, lady. I'm not going to do anything sneaky. But I highly doubt that you can match me even when you're at your best".

Yukari could not help feeling a little indignant at Jin's words. True, Xerxes had had a similar personality, but Jin takes the meaning of arrogance to a whole new level. Yukari looks down on the board; it seems like she's playing white. She opens the game by a pawn to the e4 square; a very standard opening move. Jin hardly takes his time to think, immediately responding with his own pawn to the e5. Yukari steals a look at the man before her. Jin seems to be impassive to the game. Yukari raises the ante by another pawn to the f4.

Jin raises an eyebrow. "What an aggressive little thing you are".

Why does every sentence that this man spurts out has to sound so blatantly suggestive? There is also something about the low drawl of his voice that seems to attract people; the huskiness, combined with the outright flirtatious attitude. Yukari steals another look at his face. Everything about him is just so- _exotic_. The high cheekbones, the astonishingly square jaw, and sharp eyes- eyes with the beautiful golden iris which never fails to draw attention. The deep bronze of his skin, and hair of the deepest shade of black that is possible; a colour that is exclusively inherited by only the Jins of Sograt.

Yukari distracts herself from these thoughts by focusing her attention on the various inanimate objects in the room. She studies the marble table on which the chessboard has been placed. It is an admirable piece of stonework; about two feet in length on each side of the square, standing on four small flat legs. The white marble is engraved and inlaid with various coloured semi-precious stones of lapis-lazuli, moonstone, carnelian and aquamarine, all arranged in a floral design forming a central motif. Her eyes roam about the room, and come to rest on several other items; a beautiful gold spice box on a cabinet, a jade hookah pipe mouthpiece in the display case, and some exquisite paintings of birds and flowers. And also the seemingly uncountable number of clocks and mirrors everywhere. Yukari secretly wonders if Jin has an obsession with clocks; she then proceeds to perform some quick mental calculation on the costs of such fine specimens if they were to be sold in Alberta's antique bazaars.

The game continues. For the next ten moves or so, none of them speaks a word. Jin then offers a tempting knight sacrifice. Yukari is considering the next move cautiously, when Jin suddenly speaks.

"There is something that has been bothering me for some time. Tell me, how big are your brother's fleet on the Brasilis Islands and Port Malaya?"

Yukari drops the queen that she is holding. She picks it up gracefully, her poker face unshattered. Looking up slowly, her eyes meet that of Jin's, and she realises that the man is toying with her. There is no way, no way at all that anyone outside the immediate circle of Edward's could have known that for sure. She meets his probing gaze evenly.

"Malaya usually serves as a backup port for our damaged vessels to undergo repairs, and the Brasilia Island is an important harbour for various trading vessels during the eastern monsoon. There are no fleets on both islands".

Jin smiles, and continues with his next move. Yukari appears to be nonchalant to his questions, but inside she is already screaming with distress. The agreement drawn four months ago was between King Tristan III himself and Edward, as witnessed by Minister Afanasyurin. It gives exclusive rights to the Lord of Alberta, Edward Kou to build a sea fleet on the islands, with the intention of controlling Jin's military influence in the southern lands. Both islands are located strategically about twenty nautical miles off-shore from the southernmost part of the mainland; they are also protected from the strong winds during the eastern monsoon, and are therefore ideal places to conceal warships. Currently, about fifteen experienced senior Merchants are on the islands, training the Kou family's armada and building sophisticated weapons and warships. Yukari prays that Jin's question does not reflect his knowledge of the actual situation on both islands, that he was merely making a wild guess, hoping to catch her reaction to confirm his own suspicions. She turns her attention back to the game.

Both of them play aggressively from the point onwards; pieces were captured and sacrificed, with the game fast escalating into a full-scale war between white and black. At the end, Jin's series of well-executed traps gives him a massive positional advantage on the board, which results in a checkmate for the white. Yukari sighs.

"Alright, my Lord. I shall listen to what you have to say, but I will decide for myself if I would help you in whatever you're planning here".

Without another word, Jin leads her to one of the side walls in the room, and gives a light pull on a dangling red tassel. A large canvas, made from cowhide leather rolls down to reveal an extensive map of their world. It covers all the lands from Rune-Midgard, to the Schwaltzwald Republic in the Northern Territories, to the Arunafeltz States.

Yukari stares open-mouthed at the map before her. Edward had had a similar one, but that is understandable since the Merchants regularly chart all the routes they take on their missions in order to keep accurate records for future references. Their livelihood depends greatly on their knowledge of the lands and terrains of important areas, so that they know the fastest and safest route to take on their trades. It is also a well-protected secret within the Merchants' Association. It is just impossible for Jin to have such a well-detailed, accurately-scaled map when it seems like all the Thieves do is to spend their time idly in the deserts, without going out to explore the world like the Merchants do. Jin must have bought the information from some corrupt Merchants, who have sunk low enough to sell their precious knowledge to the Lord Thief himself. Yukari seethes with anger.

"How did you get this?" she snaps.

Jin chuckles. "You know... I made a bet with my uh, comrades. That the Kous would be mad with rage when they see this. You really do not disappoint me at all."

Yukari feels as if she is running about in circles, caught in the web that Jin spins around her. This man enjoys playing mind games with others. And he gets the utmost pleasure from seeing their trapped faces, his sadistic nature satisfied by the psychological torment of others. Yukari is determined to not let him do as he pleases; the pride of the Kou family is too great to allow her to be toyed around by a Jin.

"So... what do you want from me?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: The King's Gambit (Part 2). **

"My proposal is an easy one. Just assist me on a quest to the Northern Territories to collect some information that I need from certain individuals. You follow your brother regularly on his trading missions, so you should know the cities well enough to guide us."

"And...?"

"That is all that I ask."

Yukari shoots him a suspicious glance. "What kind of deceitful scheme are you plotting this time?"

Jin sighs. "Will you stop whining and listen for once? I am meeting with several... old friends up in the North. You need not ask what it is about; the less you know, the better it is. Of course, I also give you my word that my comrades and I shall let no physical harm whatsoever come upon you during this time. By the end of the mission, I shall return you safely to Alberta."

Yukari is starting to see a way through her current predicament. Escape seems impossible at this point, but she might be able to gain an upper hand by having Jin's trust in her. It seems logical that Jin would require her assistance in this mission. The current sovereign of the North is Duke Boris, who is well-known for his contempt towards the Thieves. Thus no Thief has been allowed into the Schwarzwald Republic for the last five years, although it has become a rampant practice for them to obtain counterfeit border passes from several black-market Merchants scattered around the capital Prontera and Aldebaran. But Yukari knows better than to help Jin without the promise of something else of equal value, if not more, in return.

"I understand, my Lord. So what shall I get in return?"

Jin scoffs. "Bloody merchants you all are! Isn't the promise of your safe return good enough?"

Yukari's face hardens. "My Lord, I am no fool. Assuming what you told me is the truth, the 'information' you require must be of the utmost importance for you to risk going up to the North yourself. But I rather think this isn't all of your agenda. Sneaking in the Lord of Thieves himself to the North... especially with Duke Boris out for your blood, things are going to get nasty. I shall not put myself in any danger for your sake, without some proper compensation."

"Now I _do_ believe you're that pompous ass Edward Kou's family. Alright, what do you propose? Three hundred chests of gold? A thousand barrels of oil from Sograt?"

Yukari takes a deep breath. When she speaks again, it is with the utmost resolve. "I ask for exclusive rights to members of the Merchant's Association to enter the lands of Sograt for trade, for the coming three years. Tax-free, of course. And with the promise from my Lord himself that they will be free from any harm from your people."

This is something that she has to do. The lands of Sograt may never be as fertile as the area around Mount Mjolnir where every possible kind of crops grow in lush, nor it is as rich in mining minerals as the Einbroch Fields, but it is the ultimate untapped gold mine to the Merchants. The unparalleled skills of the desert nomads in weaving tribal carpets, the supreme sweetness of the olives and dates grown around the few desert oases, and the plentiful amount of spices harvested by the people living in the Valley of the Kings in north-western Sograt, are all potential sources of great profit to the Merchants. However, traditionally the people of Sograt have refused contact with outsiders, preferring to trade only among themselves and living very simple lives, completely absorbed in their religion. Any outsider who wishes to cross the borders of Sograt for trade is made to pay an exorbitant fee on top of the mandatory four-percent tax on all purchases made in Morroc, to the House of Jin. The situation is extremely unfavourable to the Merchants, whose long-standing principle is to maximise their profits in every possible way. The goods of Sograt may be highly-sought in other parts of Midgard, but the taxes imposed by the Jins have greatly diminished their margin of profit. Not to mention that their safety is never guaranteed once they leave the gates of Morroc. Vagrant Thieves may lay in wait behind the great sand dunes of the desert, completely invisible to the eyes of the Merchants, only to ambush and rob the latter of their gold and zeny. While killing of outsiders without a good reason is forbidden in Sograt, their Lord often turns a blind eye on the frequent robberies, which has obviously become the main source of income to the Thieves.

Jin's eyes narrow considerably, but his gaze never left Yukari. She stares back unflinchingly at the evocative golden eyes, showing just the right amount of boldness without being too defiant. The uncomfortable silence is broken when a longcase clock standing in the far end of the room strikes seven times. About eight feet in height, it is the largest clock in the room, beautifully encased in veneered walnut and fitted with magnificent brass, which appears to be slightly worn with age. It is obvious that the dials had been engraved and painted by the best clockmakers, and for a moment Yukari finds herself lost in admiration of the superb workmanship. Almost immediately, the striking is followed in succession by the other clocks in the room; there are no less than fifteen of them, all of them striking at exactly the same moment in a solemn manner, with none of them being out of tune with the exception of the largest one. Yukari secretly wonders why. The slow, melancholic resonance created by the striking bells increases her uneasiness, and Yukari feels a chill at the sudden quiet when the bells stop.

"You want me to open the gates of Morroc to those Merchant scums for free, for _three years_? And promise of their safety with that? You are really treading on dangerous grounds, girl."

"Unless my Lord tells me the truth behind his plans in the North, these shall be my terms."

Jin says nothing more. He walks towards a large wingback chair placed against the wall before sitting down comfortably and making himself a smoke from a fine jade hookah pipe. Standing exactly opposite from the man, Yukari watches as Jin places a generous amount of molasses into a clay bowl and lights up small pieces of charcoal to be used for the smoke. He does all this slowly and leisurely, seemingly oblivious to the other occupant of the room. Yukari feels her composure dwindling with each passing minute, her heart thumping with both fear and excitement. Has she gone too far this time? The man sitting before her is after all the Lord of Sograt, known for his brutality and vindictiveness, a man trained only to kill and maim. A dictator who is feared by many and worshipped by the desert fanatics, and to this day remains the only one to have bested Xerxes Carmichael in a fair fight. Even Edward is no match for Xerxes' agility and precision in a battle.

It is now dusk, and the sound of prayers float through the air in a comfortable hymn. The soothing, musky fragrance from the smoke starts to fill the room, and despite the awkward situation Yukari finds herself losing a little of the rigidity she felt previously.

When Jin speaks again, his words are sharp as a whip. "My objectives are simple. To unmask the mastermind behind the killings in Alberta fifteen years ago, and to unseat Boris Ivanokovich from his position in the North. I have reasons to believe that he was involved in the incident, but there are other people behind him, working with him to wipe out both the Jins and the Kous. We have spent far too much time and resources fighting each other that I have finally decided to put them to better use, rather than continue playing cat-and-mouse with your beloved Edward."

Yukari could not believe what she is hearing.

Jin smirks at her whitened face. "You wanted to know the truth. Didn't I warn that you would be better off not knowing?"

"But this is... Its treason! Duke Boris was personally appointed by the previous King as sovereign in the North. He holds absolute power there. To declare so carelessly that you would remove him..!"

At that moment a discreet knock sounds on the great oaken door, and a man draped completely in white enters the room. His slippered feet make no sound as they tap gracefully on the tiled floor. The man places his right palm over his chest and bows deeply before Jin, before turning towards Yukari and performing the same ritual. He then proceeds to whisper a few words in Jin's ears. Yukari notices the malevolent glint in Jin's eyes, before he gives his reply in a few curt sentences that Yukari could not understand. However she manages to catch a word; Yukihina. Yukari feels a cold shiver run through her body again; could Jin be referring to Yukihina Ren, the great Fire Warlock of Midgard? The legendary magician who graduated from the Geffen Academy of Magic at the top of the school a decade ago, and went on to become one of the greatest warlocks known in Midgard. He is rumoured to be stronger than even the members of the House of Hargreaves, who are traditionally the leaders in the world of magic. Another riddle in Yukari's mind is now solved; the great fire in Manor Alberta on the night of Jin's attack. If Yukihina is indeed among the fighters in Jin's group, this could pose an even bigger threat to Edward.

The white-robed man leaves the room, graceful and silent as ever. Jin turns his attention towards his captive again. "Alright, the Merchants shall be permitted to enter my lands for trade for three _months_. Absolutely not a day more than that. And they will have to obey the rules of the desert, _my_ rules. Is that clear?"

Yukari figures out that this is about the best offer she could get from this man. She nods her agreement. "And in return, I shall guide my Lord to the North, to the people whom he wishes to meet? Nothing more than that?"

Jin smiles. "Of course, I would expect the utmost loyalty from you. If there are any signs of betrayal, I shall slit your throat without hesitation."

It is obvious that he means every word he says, and Yukari knows he is more than capable of taking a life without putting any thought to it. Has she gotten herself into a particularly disadvantageous deal with a madman? She decides to focus her attention towards the task at hand now, rather than giving Jin the pleasure of seeing how anxious she is. "So who are the "comrades" you mentioned earlier? How many are coming with us?"

Jin replaces the hose of the pipe carefully around its base, and starts heading towards the great door. "Come. You shall see for yourself."

Meanwhile, deep in the dungeons below the Qasr, Xerxes Carmichael finds himself slowly gaining consciousness. His whole body still feels weakened, probably an after-effect from the Izidor fumes earlier. Xerxes curses Jin Shou for his devious ways of doing things, but not before condemning himself for being so careless around that bastard.

Xerxes opens his eyes slowly, trying to adjust to the light. He struggles to free himself from the heavy metal shackles around his wrists and ankles, but to no avail. He blinks several times, and desperately tries to focus his sight. It appears that there is another man in the room, sitting quietly about ten feet from Xerxes, observing his every movement. A tall man with long-flowing, straight, flaming red hair. It does not take long for Xerxes to realise where he is, or who he is dealing with. There is always a certain kind of indescribable tension when one great man meets another, even more so when one of them happens to be completely at the mercy of the other.

Yukihina Ren walks towards Xerxes, slowly and deliberately circling him, his movements not unlike that of a hungry tiger prancing before an attractive meal. The tiny fire from the candle flickers momentarily, creating dancing shadows on the stone walls. Yukihina's emerald-green eyes shine in the light.

Xerxes manages to croak out a sentence or two despite his throat being painfully dry. "If you are going to finish me off... Just be done with it already."

Yukihina smiles, and his smooth silken voice fills the room. "You know very well that is not how we do things over here. There is no such thing as a quick death in Jin's name. Besides, that man has decided to spare you this time, so you can just stay here while he has his ways with the Merchant girl."

Xerxes has never felt as insulted before, not even when he lost to Jin in the great battle ten years ago. To be captured so easily hurts his pride, but to fail in his duty towards Edward is worse than having his body sliced by a thousand daggers. "Why...?!"

Yukihina shrugs nonchalantly. "Perhaps because Jin has always hated you more than anything in the world. Because even when born on different sides of the blanket, you are still half-brothers, bound by blood."

With that, Yukihina leaves the room, and Xerxes falls into unspeakable despair.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Old Sins Cast Long Shadows.**

Rhys McQuillen arrives at the Great South Gate of Payon two days after he docks at the Port of Alberta. He has been rushing from place to place like a madman, first to re-organise the defence at the Manor with the small number of able men that remain. He then sees to the burial of the dead, the comfort of the hurt, and the safety of the surviving members of the Manor. With Edward still lying injured in Izlude, Ryo Ishikawa fighting his way through the inner court politics in Prontera, and Xerxes Carmichael gone on a wild chase somewhere in the deserts of Sograt, Rhys knows that the heavy responsibility of looking after Alberta now falls on him. Instead of feeling dejected with the burden, Rhys is determined to do what he can for his friends and the people of Alberta in Edward's place. He looks up to the sky, saying a silent prayer to Lord Odin for all of them, for the war against the Jins of Sograt seems inevitable now.

Rhys' horse trots steadily through the Gate and past the pavement leading to the lively town of Payon. He is immediately greeted with a distinct smell of frangipani and incense in the air. The modest urban area is always such a pleasant sight to visitors; little family shops line both sides of the street, offering a variety of Oriental wares at good prices. There are traders selling decorated lanterns, ceramics, bronze statues, scrolls, and incense burners. The eating shops, boasting an astonishing number of choices, tempt famished travellers with the fine aroma of roasted meat. Rhys spots some signature dishes of the town; spicy chilli squids, and minced pork rice cooked in hollow bamboo tubes. He then stops to purchase an item which has caught his eye; a gold-plated orchid hair ornament which he knows Yukari would be pleased to have. She has always liked shopping here; Rhys wonders if he will ever get the chance to bring her here again.

Almost immediately Rhys regrets his pessimistic thoughts. It is not like him at all to admit defeat before giving his all in a battle. But things are starting to look very bleak for them indeed. Putting aside the fact that Jin Shou has a hold on Yukari now, there had been too many lives lost on Edward's side. Having incurred the displeasure of His Majesty King Tristan himself, Edward's position may be in jeopardy too. This will undoubtedly affect their alliance with the influential Newcastle family, ruining their best chance at getting military assistance to fend off the ferocious Thieves. Now in a desperate final attempt to secure support in their war against the Jins, Rhys has presented himself in Payon today to plead help from the respected clan leader, Village Elder Han Jiang.

Traditionally members of the Archers' clan had been impartial to the hostility between the Jins and the Kous. Village Elder Han, who has been presiding over the clan for the last forty years, is a peace-loving man, and extremely difficult to be persuaded otherwise. However, the prospect of having an additional five hundred experienced archers to aid the Kous in the war is too tempting to be ignored. This is an extremely crucial mission for Rhys; his success or failure today will ultimately have a massive impact on the upcoming war, if not on the history thereafter. The Merchants alone are no match for the Thieves' agility and skills on land. And Jin Shou will certainly not choose to engage them on the seas.

Rhys arrives at the village's Great Mansion, where the Village Elder resides together with about thirty-five other members from the four generations of the Han family. Two massive lion statues made of granite guard the front entrance, their fierce and unforgiving eyes crimson red in colour. A small octagonal mirror, with some Chinese characters written on it in red ink, is fixed on the archway leading to the house to ward off wandering spirits of the netherworld. An elfin manservant appears to guide the guest to the main hall, where Han Jiang would be waiting.

As Rhys steps through the archway, he observes that the Mansion had not changed much from his last visit. The main building is an elaborate structure made entirely of wood and bamboo of the Payon forests, and is located exactly in the middle of a large garden where various prized shrubs and colourful flowers grow lushly. A small, modest pond occupies the eastern side of the garden, dotted with sweet-smelling water lilies which give an impression of peace and tranquillity to the place. Petite stone and marble tables decorate the corners of the garden, perfect for an evening of leisurely games of Chinese chess accompanied by a pot of fragrant warm tea. Countless times had Yukari sat on the tables, engaged in fierce battles of chess with the Village Elder himself. Elder Han, old and wise, was of course a much better player, but Yukari has always been exceptionally stubborn, always devising new plans to beat her elderly teacher. Recalling these moments, Rhys is once again reminded of the importance of his mission today.

The guide and the guest enter the main hall to find the respected Village Elder sitting cross-legged on the dais. Rhys goes up to him to present his greetings, while the elderly man remains deep in his thoughts, his fingers busily clicking on a string of prayer beads. Finally he opens his eyes, and greets the younger man with a warm smile that lights up his face. Rhys does not know what to say anymore; the well-rehearsed words in his mind seem so insignificant now. Sitting before him now is a man of the world; Han Jiang clearly knows the intent of his visit even without a word uttered. Rhys accepts the older man's invitation for tea, knowing that the game of wits has started.

"I have received the news that our good friend, Edward is injured and is recovering in Izlude. I am relieved to see that you, my son, have at least escaped unharmed."

"The extent of the damage is indeed grave, Elder Han. Edward has instructed me to keep nothing back from you. We have six good men who had sacrificed their lives in this battle, and countless men injured from Jin's attack on the Manor. The consequences of this war are indeed frightening."

Han Jiang takes a sip of warm tea, swallowing slowly, as if savouring the rich taste of the brew. The manservant, always apt with attention beside the elder, adds more hot water into the teapot.

"These days I can hardly do anything without assistance from the good people around me. I am afraid the old age has finally caught up to me. And so have the demons from the past."

"I am afraid that I do not understand, Elder Han."

"The war between the Jins and the Kous has been going on for too long. I alone am a useless old man now, but what has been done in the past, cannot be undone. Fifteen years ago during the night of the great massacre in Alberta I took in the two children from the Kous, and in doing so set off a chain of events which I would later come to lament. No outsider should have interfered in the dispute between the two families."

Rhys is greatly shocked at hearing those words. "Elder Han, surely you are not saying that you regretted saving both Edward and Yukari! For the two young children, who were weak and defenceless at that time, would surely have died without your help. Yukari stayed here for five years after that incident, and you have taught her many of life's lessons. As for Edward, he went on to become a great leader of the people of Alberta. It was a very noble act on your part, and I see no reason for grieve."

"Even now, there are many questionable aspects of the unfortunate incident. Did the Jins really orchestrate the attack on that night? Jin Kai was a pious man who devoted his life to his religion and his people; I see no reason for him to make a sudden invasion on Alberta when both sides had just signed a peace treaty. And the sudden disappearance of the young Jin Shou just before the attack seems too much to be a coincidence too. I am afraid that by siding with the Kous at that time, I have played right into the hands of the third party- whoever they may be."

There is a sharp intake of breath from Rhys as he exclaims, "The third party?!"

"This is nothing but speculations on my part. But suppose that the great bloodbath in Alberta did not happen at that time? Southern Midgard would have probably achieved peace if both families honour the treaty. Somehow it seems like the idea does not appeal to someone. The timing of the attack was just right. The Jins and the Kous become sworn enemies once again, and would go on trying to slaughter each other for the next fifteen years."

Rhys feels as if his body has gone numb. But the same cannot be said for his mind; he quickly goes over the facts again. The final peace treaty between the Jins and the Kous signed before the King. The sudden disappearance of the young heir of the Jin family shortly after that. The refusal of Emir Jin Kai to declare war against the Kous despite the overwhelming rumours that Jin Shou had been brutally murdered by the Merchants. And finally, the great bloodbath in Alberta which renders any chance of peace between both parties completely impossible. Were the two families fated to never unite, or were there hands of malicious intent pulling the strings behind the scenes? Rhys' head is about to explode with these thoughts.

Han Min, a great-grandson of the Elder and a childhood friend of Rhys', enters the hall with a little piece of paper in his hand. He acknowledges Rhys by a nod of his head, but his expression is one of concern. He hands the message to his great-grandfather, and leaves the hall quietly. Han Jiang glances at the short message, and raises his eyebrows in undisguised surprise.

"It seems that your purpose in coming here is wasted now, my son. Go back to Edward, and tell him there will be no war with the Jins for now."

Rhys stares open-mouthed at the elder. "What? But why?!"

Han Jiang lets out a small chuckle. "Jin Shou is evading a pointless war with Edward for now. Very smart of him, I should say. Seems like he has left Morroc quietly last night. So tell Edward to come to his senses too, and that he should probably use the little bit of brains he has before acting the next time."

Rhys feels nothing less than immense relief with the news. Suddenly realising that he has been incredibly thirsty, he gulps down a whole cup of tea, and pours himself more.

"Now that Jin has decided not to war with us, he would probably release Yukari soon too."

"I do not think that is possible now, my son." Han Jiang lets out an apologetic cough. "You see, Yukari has left Morroc together with him last night."


End file.
